What If?
by iftheworldwasonfire
Summary: Calypso never was and never will be Percy's biggest 'What If.'


**Just wanted to do a little one-shot that wasn't in **_**Of Shocks and Seashells...**_**here ya go!**

**Disclaimer: Do I look like Rick Riordan? Didn't think so.**

_"It's okay."_

_"Dying."_

_"No," I assured her. "You're okay. What's your name?"_

_That's when I knew. Even before she said it. I was holding someone who was destined to be my best friend, or possibly my worst enemy._

_"I am Thalia," the girl said. "Daughter of Zeus."_

So many words exchanged between us. Words of friendliness.

_"Where have you been the last year?" I asked Thalia. "You've got like twice as many Hunters now!"_

_She laughed. "Long, long story. I bet my adventures were more dangerous than yours, Jackson."_

_"Complete lie," I said._

_"We'll see," she promised. "After this is over, you, Annabeth, and me: cheeseburgers and fries at that hotel on West 57th."_

_"Le Parker Meridien," I said. "You're on. And Thalia, thanks."_

Words of anger.

_"Perseus Jackson!" Thalia yelled, storming toward me. She smelled like rotten eggs, and she was so mad that blue sparks flickered on her armor. Everybody cringed and backed up because of Aegis. It took all my willpower not to cower._

_"What in the name of the gods were you THINKING?" she bellowed._

_I balled my fists. I'd had enough bad stuff happen to me for one day. I didn't need this. "I got the flag, Thalia!" I shook it in her face. "I saw a chance and I took it!"_

_"I WAS AT THEIR BASE!" Thalia yelled. "But the flag was gone. If you hadn't butted in, we would've won."_

_"You had too many on you!"_

_"Oh, so it's my fault?"_

_"I didn't say that."_

_"Argh!" Thalia pushed me, and a shock went through my body that blew me backward ten feet into the water. Some of the campers gasped. A couple of the Hunters stifled laughs._

_"Sorry!" Thalia said, turning pale. "I didn't mean to—"_

_Anger roared in my ears. A wave erupted from the creek, blasting into Thalia's face and dousing her from head to toe. I stood up. "Yeah," I growled. "I didn't mean to, either." Thalia was breathing heavily._

_"Enough!" Chiron ordered._

_But Thalia held out her spear. "You want some, Seaweed Brain?"_

_Somehow, it was okay when Annabeth called me that—at least, I'd gotten used to it—but hearing it from Thalia was not cool._

_"Bring it on, Pinecone Face!"_

We never really saw eye to eye on things, even though we were so alike it was scary.

_"That's harsh," I said. "Hard to admit Zoe was right."_

_"She wasn't right! Luke never let me down. Never."_

Even when she wasn't with us, people would comment on our similarity.

_"Percy, you know who you remind me of most? _Thalia._ You guys are so much alike it's scary. I mean, either you would've been best friends or you would've strangled each other._**"**

Sure, I was jealous of her sometimes. But honestly, who wouldn't be? She was beautiful. A great fighter. She had an amazing spirit.

_"A half-blood hideout." I looked at Annabeth in awe. "You made this place?"_

_"Thalia and I," she said quietly. "And Luke."_

_That shouldn't have bothered me. I mean, I knew Thalia and Luke had taken care of Annabeth when she was little._

_I knew the three of them had been runaways together, hiding from monsters, surviving on their own before Grover found them and tried to get them to Half-Blood Hill. But when ever Annabeth talked about the time she'd spent with them, I kind of felt ... I don't know. _

_Uncomfortable?_

_No. That wasn't the word._

_The word was jealous._

She was self-sacrificing, too. She always put her friends before herself.

_Thalia grimaced. "Well, don't just stand there! I'll be fine. Go!"_

_"We'll be back," I promised._

_"I'm not going anywhere," Thalia groaned._

But she was still loyal to the Hunt.

_A white marble temple with a gold dome suddenly exploded. The dome shot up like the lid of a teapot and shattered into a billion pieces, raining rubble over the city._

_"That was a shrine to Artemis," Thalia grumbled. "He'll pay for that."_

The Hunt had taken Thalia away from me. I missed her so much, but I knew that she had made her choice, and that I had made mine.

_As we trudged back up Half-Blood Hill to the pine tree where the Golden Fleece glittered, I half expected to see Thalia there, waiting for us. But she wasn't. She was long gone with Artemis and the rest of the Hunters, off on their next adventure._

But we both held special places for each other in our hearts.

_"I'm proud to be your friend."_

I was wrong. My biggest 'what if' wasn't Calypso. It never was, and it never will be. My biggest 'what if' always was and always will be one person, and it isn't Calypso.

My biggest 'what if' will always be Thalia Grace.

**In the Battle of the Labyrinth, I was practically shouting at Percy, "No, Seaweed Brain! Your biggest 'what if' isn't Calypso! It's Thalia, you idiot!"**

**Ahh...memories...anyways, please review.**

**~lilmissf**


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